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Xbox X|SWe've documented 24 accessibility features for Pokémon Sleep, including Large Subtitles, Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions, No Button Combos and No Repeated Pressing. Its accessibility is strongest in Visual and Getting Started but it also has features in Controls, Reading, Navigation and Audio to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
Our accessibility examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Pokémon Sleep accessibility 5 months ago.
Accessibility Notes
The game is entirely based on a top-down 2D perspective upon which you can zoom in to make everything larger (this requires two fingers but is not required to play the game). Pokémon you need to select have yellow exclamation points over their heads. You move around by swiping your finger across the screen, but you can take as long as you need to do everything and there is no requirement to hold the screen for a set amount of time.
Game Details
Release Date: 18/07/2023
Price: Free
Out Now: Android and iOS
Skill Rating: 5+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Collecting and Simulation
Accessibility: 24 features
Components: 2D Overhead and Cartoon
Developer: Pokemon Sleep (@PokemonSleep)
Costs: Free. In-Game Purchases and In-Game Pass
Controls
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Controls in Pokémon Sleep which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Touchscreen
Can play with the following. Additional gestures may be required for games played with a screenreader like VoiceOver.
One Motion Targeted: Can play with touchscreen, tap and swipe or hold gesture.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Holding Down Buttons Optional: Holding down buttons for prolonged periods (a second or more) is not required or can be switched to toggling the action on and off. This is in addition to the movement stick/button which is not considered a hold for this purpose.
Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing (more than 2 times a second) is not required, can be skipped or switched to holding a button to trigger a repeated action.
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Pokémon Sleep, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Paradise Marsh (8 Controls Features)
- Pokemon Go! (8 Controls Features)
- A Short Hike (7 Controls Features)
- Animal Crossing: City Folk (6 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Difficulty in Pokémon Sleep which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play.
Getting Started
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Getting Started in Pokémon Sleep which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
Low Pressure: Game tasks aren't time-limited or there's a low-pressure mode. This avoids the pressure of being put on the clock for overarching missions, or failing tasks because you didn't reach a destination in time.
No Jump Scares: No sudden loud noises or popping-up scary visuals that unexpectedly appear without warning, or the option to disable them.
Assistance For Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.
Save Progress Anytime: The game automatically saves progress or you can save any time. This doesn’t mean you never lose progress, but it does mean you can stop whenever you want (without having to get to a save point) without losing progress.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Pokémon Sleep, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons (7 Getting Started Features)
- Animal Crossing: Wild World (6 Getting Started Features)
- Animal Crossing (6 Getting Started Features)
- Apico (6 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Reading in Pokémon Sleep which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Subtitles
Large Clear Subtitles: Subtitles are large, clear and of good contrast. They are at least 1/20 (46 pixels on 1080 screen) the height of a landscape screen and at least 1/40 height on portrait screens, or can be adjusted to be. We base this on the full line-height, including the space above and below the letters. Considered separately from the general text of the game, the subtitles are large, clear and of good contrast.
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Pokémon Sleep, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf (6 Reading Features)
- Animal Crossing: City Folk (6 Reading Features)
- Apico (6 Reading Features)
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons (6 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Navigation in Pokémon Sleep which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Large Clear Navigation: The in-game navigation and maps are clear to read. They offer large text and offer markers that are large and of high contrast. Where text or information is small, there are settings to zoom-in and increase visibility.
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Menu Navigation
Menus Don't Wrap: Menus don't wrap and stop the cursor at the bottom of the list if you press down. Or menus do wrap but make it clear that you are back at the top of the list with sound or narration.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Pokémon Sleep, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet (6 Navigation Features)
- Paradise Marsh (5 Navigation Features)
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus (4 Navigation Features)
- Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (4 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 7 accessibility features for Visual in Pokémon Sleep which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Contrast
Medium Contrast: Game uses generally well contrasting and bright visuals, or has a slider to make this the case.
Interactive Elements
Large Game Elements: Game characters and other elements are large and distinguishable. Enemies and player characters are at least 1/6 of the height of the screen. Or there is a zoom feature to make them larger.
Visual Distractions
No Screen Shake: No screen shake effect or it is included but it can be disabled. This includes the absence of screen shake for dramatic effect as well as to indicate hits on a target.
No Busy Backgrounds: No distracting backgrounds or you can make them static or blank. This includes the absence of other movement elements in the background that might distract or confuse the action. Where foreground contrast is high, this includes games with some movement in the background that doesn't make it overly difficult to distinguish what is happening.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Audio
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Audio in Pokémon Sleep which deals with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Pokémon Sleep, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Paradise Marsh (3 Audio Features)
- Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (3 Audio Features)
- Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet (2 Audio Features)
- Apico (2 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Android
Android has accessibility settings including ways to navigate and interact, although not all games support this.
iOS
iOS has a very extensive suite of accessibility settings including ways to navigate with voice and comprehensive screen reading, though most of the features don't work with games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Ben Kendall
